


Rupert's Letters

by shnuffeluv



Category: The Two Princes (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Letters, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:21:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26262592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shnuffeluv/pseuds/shnuffeluv
Summary: After Rupert dies, Amir finds letters addressed to him in his dresser, from Rupert. Turns out, that Malkia turned him into a kid when she wreaked havoc on the kingdom, and Rupert was never able to turn him back......What?
Relationships: Prince Amir (Two Princes Podcast)/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 13





	Rupert's Letters

Amir was wiping tears from his eyes in his room, quietly crying over Dad’s passing. Damien wasn’t hear at the moment, and couldn’t comfort him until tonight. Amir stared at the key that Dad had given him before he passed, the key to the drawer in his dresser he wasn’t supposed to open. Dad had thought he was ready. Amir wasn’t so sure.

Swallowing, Amir slid the key into the lock and opened the drawer. He was surprised when he saw a stack of letters, each of them numbered. He rifled through, finding the one labelled “One” in Dad’s chicken-scratch handwriting.

He opened it with nimble fingers, and started reading.

_Amir,_

_By the time you read this, you’ll be an adult, and I’ll probably be gone. I don’t like to think about it, but it’s sadly going to happen one way or another. I just wish it hadn’t happened like this._

“You and me both,” Amir mumbled to the letter.

_It’s about time I tell you about the true Prince of the East, Amir. I know you’ve asked around about him, and the others have told you that he was my husband, and he died when Malkia attacked. Well, that’s not quite true. He was taken away from me when Malkia attacked, but he didn’t die._

_He was turned into a child. That child, Amir, is you._

Amir blinked at the words on the page, stunned. That was why he’d find Dad randomly crying when he was young, mumbling about _his Amir coming back._ That was why everyone got so nervous when Amir asked about the Prince of the East. That was why Her Majesty Queen Atossa was always so nice to him, but acted distant towards Rupert. He was her son.

And she probably blamed Dad for whatever had happened to him.

_Right now, you’re playing in the fields with Porridge, having the time of your life trying to catch him. And even if you don’t remember me, I’m happy that you can have a real childhood. You said your mother always pushed you when you were a kid. I’m going to make sure that you don’t force yourself beyond your limits for my sake._

Amir read on. He read about the curse, and the forest, and the Hollow. He read about the engagement, and Malkia, and how Upendo was able to stop her, but not able to undo what her magic had wrought on Amir. And as he did, he cried. Dad was never able to tell him this because…why? Was he scared? Did he want to prevent Amir from feeling guilty? Or sad? Had he known, he could have tried to help some way…but what could he have done? Rupert’s Amir was gone. He was all that was left.

He read through all of the letters that day, detailing how Amir was growing up, how proud Dad was, and never once did he say he blamed Amir for trying to save the kingdom. Even though Amir thought he probably should. He had said he would do anything, and Malkia had taken away not only Amir’s age, but Dad’s future. _Their future._

“Your Majesty, have you not heard me calling? It’s time for…oh,” Joan said, walking in.

Amir looked up, eyes red and puffy from all the crying he had done, and said, “It’s my fault,” in a lost, broken voice.

“It’s not your fault, Your Majesty,” Joan said, helping him stand and leading him out of the room. “Rupert never blamed you for what you did. You saved the kingdom, perhaps the world. That is a noble thing.”

“I took away his life, his plans, his…everything,” Amir said.

“No. Malkia did that,” Joan said sternly. “Don’t place the blame on yourself, Your Majesty. Now, come on, Damien is waiting for you.”

Oh, God. “Does Damien know?” Amir asked. “What happened?”

“Rupert told him right before Damien left,” Joan said. “The time Damien has been away is the time he took to think about what all this meant for him and you. He was supposed to give an answer to Rupert today.”

Amir swallowed and nodded. They entered the dinning hall, and before Amir could say a word, Damien had him crushed in a hug. “I still love you,” he said. “I heard about His Majesty. I knew you would find out. But I still love you, and I still want to be with you, if you want that.”

Amir sniffled and nodded. “Yes, I want that.”

Damien pulled away and smiled at Amir. “You’re still my love, Amir. That hasn’t changed.”

Amir smiled and wiped at his eyes. He still loved Damien, too, even though now he realized that Dad must have taken so long to warm up to Damien because of his past with Amir. It broke his heart, but Dad _had_ given them his blessing before he passed…so it couldn’t be all bad. Dad had moved on, or at least moved forward. Now, Amir and Damien would do the same.

They ate dinner together, talking about the funeral arrangements for Dad and for what they might want at their wedding next year. They had to prepare for tomorrow, when the announcement of Dad’s passing went out, and Amir had to prepare himself for the onslaught of meetings that Dad regularly went to. But Dad had prepared Amir well for that. There was no doubt in Dad’s mind that Amir would be able to handle it. He had said that himself.

Amir finished dinner and went to his room with Damien to just…talk for most of the night. Damien was there for him, as always, and Amir knew that no matter what had happened in the past, no matter how badly this hurt and no matter how much he wished he could change it, all he could do now was prepare for tomorrow.

And he would make Dad proud. If he did nothing else in this life, he would make sure he would be a man that Dad was proud to know.

**Author's Note:**

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